It’s not easy being a landscape architect. Thomas Woltz, senior principal with Nelson Byrd Woltz, calls this time “an identity crisis” for the profession. When he tells people he’s a landscape architect, Woltz says, “they ask me what to plant in their backyard.” So now he tells them he designs public spaces, a succinct description […]
The unassuming storefront at 128 Chancellor St. has long belied the Center for Christian Study’s extensive research and scholarship space. And just a few months ago, the square footage behind those doors was expanded even further. Residential and commercial building firm Alexander Nicholson was tasked with the expansion project—namely, to use every last bit of […]
Four historically significant sites in our area—including a modernist home, a Black cemetery, and a rural schoolhouse—were added in June to the Virginia Landmarks Register, recognizing their cultural and architectural importance. Thomas and Alena Hammond House (Charlottesville)Designed in 1962 by Herbert Fritz, Jr., a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice, this striking one-story home in the Greenbrier […]
After years of planning and study, Albemarle County’s new courthouse, which opened in downtown Charlottesville in June, represents a step forward in local civic design. Located within the city’s historic Court Square, the new structure addresses long-documented needs for more space, improved operations, and updated security in facilities that date back to 1762. The phases […]
Since 2015, Dovetail has been showcasing Charlottesville artists in its interior design showroom, first on Water Street and now in its current location on Broadway Street in Woolen Mills. “I always liked seeing local art displayed in businesses around town,” says owner and designer Amy Hart. “When we moved into this space, it felt natural […]
It’s a common problem: A family loves getting together, but as the family gets bigger—children grow up, find partners, and have their own kids—the gathering place seems to get smaller. A local couple faced this same issue. The log cabin/hunting lodge on their horse farm outside Crozet was too crowded when everyone came for holidays […]
This 300-acre Afton property had been the family’s country “home away from home” for more than 40 years. When a new generation took over in 2016, they decided to update the original farmhouse while keeping its character; the additional garage and guest house had been arranged around the central drive/parking area to keep the feeling […]
Each year for more than 35 years, Southern Living magazine has partnered with builders, architects, and designers to create custom “idea houses.” In 2024, the home was in South Carolina; in 2023, Tennessee. In February, the magazine announced that this year’s Southern Living Idea House would be just down the road—in Keswick. The selection marks […]
A couple came to Charlottesville looking to buy a condo for their weekend cycling getaways, but they ended up buying a house that became their age-in-place home. One spouse had always dreamed of one-level living, while the other wanted a home that was intimately connected to its setting. “Within minutes” of viewing this 1950s one-story house […]
For many, part of the wedding day is being surrounded by glorious flowers and lovely arrangements that make their special day both beautiful and fragrant. For Sherry Spencer, owner of Southern Blooms, being surrounded by flowers is her daily life—and very much a family thing. “I grew up among flowers,” says Spencer. Her mother, in […]